THE BUZZING MIND                                  
                    Using Randomly Generated Awareness to Improve Daily Mindfulness

    The Buddha and subsequent teachers urge us to be mindful at all times, and to constantly guard our sense doors.  This can be fine while meditating, but what about the 95% of the day we are off the cushion?  This article introduces a cheap, simple, and relatively dukkha-less method which might help improve your Practice during that 95% of the day.

   The Method involves carrying a little programmable timer during the day and mindfully noting your mental activities when the timer gently vibrates. This gives a priceless snapshot of what was happening in your mind at that time. The Goals include suddenly observing your mind-state at random “off-cushion” times through the day, in the manner of the Third Foundation of Mindfulness (citta).  The method is versatile, to say the least – for example, instead of observing or investigating, you can generate one of the brahma-viharas, you can bring your mind into an explicit awareness of the Total Present Moment, or you can gauge how well you are using the insights you receive during meditation or training. After three weeks, I found this “electronic teacher” to be a now-invaluable adjunct to my practice. Using the timer was sort of like having a zafu pinned to the back of my trousers, and it was much easier to carry around.

   The timers (called “Instant Clocks”) are the same ones session leaders often use to signal the end of a meditation period. They are available at

www.time-now.com for about $40, and can be programmed for up to twelve random and several dozen interval times each day. You can adjust the vibration intensity or turn it off at any time. You can ask a friend to randomly program the timer, or you can program the timer somewhat less randomly by entering the waking hours a­­nd then covering up the minute section while you let the numbers scroll by.  A journal will record and help examine your observations.  (Note:  The author has no financial or other connection with the company making the Instant Clock, knows nothing about the company other than what is on their web site, and paid full market price for the clock used in this experiment.)

Did the method work?  Here are some reflections.

n      I found randomly generated awareness to be a helpful adjunct to the awareness received during formal meditation.  My “normal” mental activities were right there in front of me, instead of being buried in the hazy, half-forgotten, subconsciously-processed memories of the day.  It was like a “come-as-you-are-party” for the mind, and sometimes it wasn’t what I preferred to see – when this happened, it became even more of a learning experience!

n      When using the timer, you can recall the few moments before the timer vibrated, while your mental activity is in relatively vivid short-term memory.

n      The method seemed more objective than just waiting until I “remembered” to be mindful at various times during the day.  The method also seemed to be positively reinforcing, and helped “tweak” my attitude – for instance, when I focused on generating joy upon feeling the timer, I found my mind quickly became more joyful throughout the day. The awareness persisted, just as a bell’s chimes persist after the moment the bell is struck. When I elected to focus on a specific question, such as “what were my intentions and were they skillful,” it wasn’t long before I became more aware of my intentions throughout the day, and just how deceptively simple, exquisitely subtle, and surprisingly multi-dimensional such questions are (doubtlessly there is a neurological explanation for this). When awareness of the Total Present Moment was chose, it seemed easier to make more of the day compatible with awareness. Even when Mind was as gray as a mid-winter Seattle morning, I had a pretty good idea of my emotional tone when the timer struck, so it was worth doing.

n      By demonstrating the importance of the “wee small parts” of the mind and action, this method helped improve brahma-vihara and sila practice.  When the timer went off, I had a “reality check” to gauge how well I was following Integrity, and if my ethical behavior was appropriate, gentle, and skillful.

n      The method seemed to assist both samadhi and vipassana practice by, among other things, improving the ability to make rapid but relaxed observations, and by giving more opportunities to practice awareness.

n      After observing things change over a few days, especially when comparing notes with similar observations several days before, it became more evident how conditional, transient, and (yes) vulnerable the “self” was.  Since it was obvious the same process was happening for others, it became easier to empathize, too.

n      Finally, don’t be surprised if the timer becomes downright annoying for a while, or if you notice things you’d rather not notice – this method also requires patience, a spark of joy somewhere, a positive attitude, and persistence. Hey, nothing’s easy – that’s why we’re doing this!

     Here are some suggestions for you, based on a sample size n = 1 with several dozen observations and some reflection over three weeks:

1.      At the beginning of the day, choose one or two simple (but not necessarily easy) objectives you can focus on when the timer vibrates.

2.      You can take one of three paths with this method:  a.) Bring yourself to a listening awareness of the Total Present Moment; b.)  Actively generate joy or one of the brahma-viharas; or c.)  Investigate a question like “is my mind in a state of Relaxed Awareness” or “are my feelings (vedana) pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral,” ad infinitum. 

If you choose to observe the Total Present Moment, try to notice not only the obvious gross awareness, but also what may be present at a deeper pre-conscious level, and what factors or conditions are modifying your awareness.  You might also focus on the arising and passing away of the moment.

          If you choose to generate joy or metta, or another of the brahma-viharas,
          try to do this even if you are not “in the mood” (which may be pretty often). 

         You may soon observe just how domineering but conditional our moods or
         or emotional states are, how easy it is to “identify” with them, and
         how they can often be productively changed with a positive attitude and
         positive awareness.

         If you choose to ask a dharma-question, focus on the question for several
         minutes during your morning meditation.  For instance, if you plan to ask 
        “Does craving exist and if so, is it easy to get rid of it when observed,” then
         observe just how craving arises and passes away while you are sitting
         in silence, and how much resistance you encounter. This step will help you
         critically review the mental states you observe during the day when the
         timer vibrates randomly.  Consider some further reading or study on any
         question you might ask, too.

         You can use your own imagination, common sense, and experience –
          this method is versatile and you are in control. Experiment with what
          works.  There are thousands of things you can do!

3.      It seemed best to focus on one objective each day.  You can also follow the same objective for several days and return to it again after an interval.

4.      To allow the Maximum Benefit of Dukkha, consider adjusting your     
observation to the day you expect – it you think it’s going to be a Really
Tough Day, focus on anxiety or resistance, or generate metta.  Reserve
longer and more cosmic questions for days when things look easy.  Or
vice-versa. At day’s end, ask if your anticipation correlated well with the
reality.

5.      If you are engaged in activity or carrying on a conversation at the time,
make a mental note of your mind-state and return to it as quickly as you  
can.  You might find the timer helps your conversations and activities
become more compatible with Right Speech and Right Action, and gives
insight into resistance.  You may find that insights gained during stressful activities (such as work) seem especially valuable.

   Of course, this method has several limitations.  As with anything, the quality of your insights will depend on the integrity, the analytical honesty, the quality of awareness, and the wisdom you bring to this method.  This method gives but a statistically brief snapshot of what’s going on at a particular time (although the picture should improve with the number and quality of your observations). The mind’s complexity may obscure your observations, and the intensity and value of your observations depend on the total environment when the timer vibrates, so your observations and efforts will not be completely consistent – but after all, that’s anicca and anatta! Obviously, the method seemed to work best when combined with formal practice. Finally, many improvements are likely to be short-term and will need refinement – although the method is positive and useful, it requires its share of effort and patience. Sorry!

     In summary, using a little pocket timer to observe what goes on at random times during the day can increase your opportunities for awareness, bring you the joy of finding things out, contribute to your formal meditation, and add depth to your practice.  It can help guard the sense doors and help you be mindful throughout the day. As Yogi Berra might have said, “You can learn a lot just by being there.”  When the little timer goes off, Be There – or Be Unaware.

Victor “Buzz” Bradford

DISCLAIMER:

--Although the author thinks their product is a good one (and apparently the only one available), he has no existing or planned connection with the manufacturer, and paid full market price for the timer.

--The idea for this article happened during a Retreat led by Leigh Brasington and Lloyd Burton  (at the end of one session, the timer was inadvertently placed a bit too close to the bell. Since I try to make a special note of what was happening at the moment the bell rings, I sort of looked at myself and said, “Well, why not?”).

--The author is a member of Rocky Mountain Insight in Colorado Springs (led by Lucinda Green). The website for this group, www.rockymountaininsight.org, has topics of dharma-interest and links to other websites.